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Pauline Hanson addresses the media about the nude photo scandal which erupted after News Limited papers printed photos of a naked woman alleged to be Ms Hanson.

Pauline, I'm sorry: 'Conned' paper apologises to Hanson

March 23, 2009 - 5:49AM

Finger pointing, accusations and legal retribution swirl around
an apology to Pauline Hanson over nude photos News Limited now
admits are not of her.

Hanson made another bid at political life in Saturday's
Queensland election as an independent candidate for the seat of
Beaudesert but lost to the Liberal National Party's Aidan
McLindon.

Just one week prior, censored photographs, published in News
Limited newspapers last Sunday and broadcast on the Nine and
Seven networks, claimed to show a 19-year-old Ms Hanson posing
naked in the 1970s for photographer and then boyfriend Jack
Johnson.

He reportedly struck a deal for $15,000 with News Limited.

Ms Hanson vehemently denied she was the woman in the photos and
pointed to a number of inconsistencies in Mr Johnson's
recollections.

He further weakened his claims by later admitting on the Seven
Network's Today Tonight that his memory was hazy as a
result of treatment he receives to battle bone cancer.

Yesterday, News Limited printed a story and an editorial
that contained apologies to Ms Hanson.

"I have said all week I'd be the first person in Australia to
apologise to Pauline Hanson if it were proven the photographs were
not of her," Sunday Telegraph editor Neil Breen said.

"We've proven it ourselves so Pauline, I'm sorry."

But in the same story, News Limited launched an attack on Mr
Johnson, calling him a "conman" and stating "he wanted our money to
pay outstanding (medical) bills".

The story also attacked paparazzi agent Jamie Fawcett, stating
he was first approached with the photos and knew Mr Johnson alleged
to have photos of another prominent woman posing with the Sultan of
Brunei.